Appointments
Where are We?
We are located on Level 2 of the Lincoln Student Services Building at Macquarie University. View the Macquarie University campus map.
Making an Appointment
You can phone the service on (02) 9850 7497 during office hours or just come to our Reception Area during these times. (Please note that we do not provide an after-hours crisis service. In such an event you should view the Emergency Counselling Contacts or check the telephone book for the number of the Mental Health Crisis Team in your residential area.)
When you arrive at UCS Reception, the receptionist will give you a card to complete with basic information about yourself, so please arrive 5 minutes before your appointment. You will also be given information sheets about the Service and about issues related to confidentiality. When you make your first appointment with a Counsellor you will be seen for an intake appointment.
Opening Hours
We are open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm during Semester and during University vacations, except for Public Holidays. The Counselling Service is closed over the Christmas break from December 25th until the first working day following the new year holiday. Services may be reduced during vacations but Counsellors will still be available. Early (8am) and late (5pm) appointments are available on certain days. There are also counselling sessions which can be booked on the same day in the event of urgent need.
Cost of Services
The Counselling Service is offered free of charge to its clients.
What Happens when I see a Counsellor?
During the initial intake session the Counsellor will discuss with you what services can best assist you. The Counsellor might suggest that it would be useful for you to come back for a follow-up appointment which might be with the same Counsellor or perhaps another of the Counsellors. It might be suggested that you see someone else at the university or perhaps another professional outside of the university. The Counsellor and yourself will discuss the most relevant options to address your needs. Keep in mind that your attendance at the Counselling Service is always voluntary and also that many students (and staff) find that the initial interview is sufficient to help them deal with their concerns.
Confidentiality
All contacts with a Counsellor are confidential within the Counselling Service. Records of your counselling interviews are kept secure and do not become part of your University records. No details of your records are released to any other person without your written permission. However, there are some exceptions to this rule as follows:
- Counsellors' records do not have legal privilege and can be subpoenaed in court proceedings.
- if you are deemed to be unable to care for yourself or to be a threat to yourself or others, confidentiality may be set aside in order to provide care or protection.
A Counsellor would not normally make such a decision to release information without your permission, without consultation with colleagues. The setting aside of confidentiality for any of the above reasons is rare, it is important that you realise that such conditions do exist. If you need to clarify any aspects of confidentiality, please do not hesitate to discuss this with your Counsellor.
The Counselling Service's Policies and Procedures in relation to confidentiality of clients' information are in accordance with the Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998, the Health Records and Information Privacy Act 2002 and the Australian Psychological Society Code of Ethics. Information is used in order to provide a professional service to clients. As a service agency, at times research is undertaken to evaluate our services. However, data used is either for statistical purposes with no individual being identified, or otherwise consent would be sought.